November 5, 2009. Retrieved online November 5, 2009 from Amanda L. Husson, Las Cruces Sun-News
LAS CRUCES – Issues like programs for minority students, support for graduate students and fiscal responsibility were on the minds of students who took the opportunity to question New Mexico State University presidential finalist Barbara Couture on Wednesday during a student forum at Corbett Center.
Asked how she might increase support for American Indian or gay and lesbian students, Couture said providing a productive and inclusive environment for all students is a priority, but acknowledged that finding funding for those programs is always a challenge.
She said one solution might be to find ways to use funds so that they benefit more than one student group at a time.
“Sometimes budgets are historically developed, and stay that way for a long time,” she said. “Do we need to rethink how those funds are distributed? It’s important to listen to students and learn what services they feel they need.”
NMSU’s diverse population is one thing Couture identified as a reason for her interest in the president position. She also cited the campus’s effective community college relationships, potential for new facilities and beautiful location.
In response to an online question about whether any skeletons in her closet might come to light once she was selected – a reference to the separate admissions scandals that led to the resignations of two of the four other finalists – Couture smiled.
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